We congratulate Liberty Bell student Tom Zbyszewski in his win at the regional competition of Poetry Out Loud in Spokane.

Langston Ward, a student at Mead High School in Spokane who won the state competition last year, placed second.

Both will compete in state finals in Tacoma on March 9.

Zbyszewski, of Carlton, recited “Golden Retrievals” by Mark Doty and “Famous” by Naomi Shibab Nye, Get Lit! assistant coordinator Karen Maner wrote in an email.

“One of Tom’s greatest strengths was his ability to use his entire body to capture the mood of the poem,” Maner said. “His hands were constantly moving, emphasizing certain words and almost pantomiming others, but it was never distracting or overdone.”

The National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation have partnered with ArtsWA (Washington State Arts Commission) to support Poetry Out Loud, a contest that encourages the nation's youth to learn about great poetry through memorization and recitation. This program helps students master public speaking skills, build self-confidence, and learn about their literary heritage. In Spokane, the regional finals were hosted by Get Lit!, the literary festival organized by Eastern Washington University.